Electronic pens are known having sensors and electronic devices for digitally recording what is written with the pen. Different kinds of sensors may he arranged in the pen for determining its position, e.g. acceleration sensors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,371 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,666, optical sensors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,792, U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,434 and WO 00/73983, pressure sensors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,388, or mechanical sensors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,792 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,666. In still other types of electronic pens, triangulation of signals (e.g. light, sound, IR radiation etc) is used for position determination, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,049.
It would be desirable to find a way of activating and deactivating such electronic pens and electronic pens of other types in a manner that is easy and intuitive for the user.